JPH0373703A - Automatic relocating method every frequency - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the efficiency by obtaining unloading frequency and storing load of higher frequency in a place nearer to an unloading port. CONSTITUTION:A framework rack 10 is formed in a row. A plurality of racks near to an unloading port 15 is assigned to a storing region 10 A for a load of high unloading frequency and other region 10B is assigned to a storing region for a load of low unloading frequency. Further, four racks in the region 10A are regarded as one block as shown by broken lines and the same loads are stored therein. The unloading frequency of the load is computed by a host computer and the load of higher frequency is adapted to be stored in a rack nearer to the unloading port 15. According to this constitution, efficiency can be improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method of operating a stacker crane in an automated warehouse system and a method of storing loads on shelves.

[Conventional technology]

An automated warehouse consists of three-dimensional shelves that store loads, a stacker crane that travels along the three-dimensional shelves and transports loads between the loading/unloading entrance and the shelves, and a stacker crane that memorizes the storage shelves for loading and unloading loads. It consists of a host computer that gives instructions. (Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 6
Publication No. 3-208409) Generally, when a certain load is stored on an empty shelf, the load is stored in the same position until an order is given to take it out. (Storage shelf) will not be changed.

When a request for unloading a certain type of load is given, the host computer generally issues a command to the stacker crane to unload the oldest stored load if there are multiple M class loads requested.

There are two ways to give this shipping command:

First, when there is a request for delivery, the cargo is transported to the access/delivery port.

Second, the cargo to be shipped is given to the host computer in advance (for example, one day in advance). For the upper needle 1i machine, the free time for entering and exiting the warehouse (
For example, the output is sent to the stacker crane to rearrange the cargo that has been ordered to be delivered at night to a storage shelf near the delivery gate.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional technology described above, once the cargo is stored, the storage position of the cargo is not changed until a shipping command or a shipping plan is input.

Although the second method of the prior art can significantly shorten the delivery time, it is not effective unless a delivery plan is given in advance.

In other words, the above-mentioned conventional technology does not have the concept of determining the shelf where a load should be stored in accordance with the frequency of shipment. The priority of shelf allocation is set to the same level even when there is enough cargo in and out. In some cases, cargo that requires frequent entry/exit AH takes longer to enter and exit than cargo that requires less frequent entry/exit, resulting in a reduction in the capacity of the automated warehouse system. There was a problem with letting it happen.

An object of the present invention is to shorten the overall cycle time and improve the capacity of an automated warehouse system by determining the shelf where a load is to be stored depending on the frequency of shipment.

(Means for solving Sa) In order to achieve the above objective, the frequency of shipments of cargo is investigated, and according to the results, cargoes that are frequently dispatched are stored on shelves near the exit, and cargo that is frequently dispatched is stored on shelves close to the exit By storing cargo that can be delivered on a shelf away from the exit, the cycle time for cargo that requires frequent dispatch is shortened, thereby reducing the cycle time of the automatic fJl system as a whole.

[For production]

Cargoes that need to be delivered frequently are stored on shelves near the exit, and items that require less frequent delivery are stored on shelves farther away from the exit, so the cycle time can be shortened in the order of items that are shipped more frequently. , the overall cycle time can be shortened even when considering the increase in cycle time due to fewer deliveries.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 7j+1, the three-dimensional shelf is one in which a large number of shelves 11 are arranged in the running direction of a stacker crane (not shown) and in the vertical direction. There is an exit port 15 at the left end in the running direction, and an entry port 16 at the right end. Normally, the three-dimensional shelves 10 are provided on both sides of the stacker crane travel path (two rows in total), but in this embodiment, the three-dimensional shelves 10 are provided in one row.

A plurality of shelves in the vicinity of the unloading area 0 is designated as an area 10A for storing frequently unloaded items. Other areas 10B
The shelves are used to store cargo that is shipped infrequently.

The area 10A, which stores frequently shipped cargo, is divided into blocks (indicated by broken lines) for each of four columns; one type of cargo is stored in each block.

The types of cargo contained in each block are all different.

Operation commands for the stacker crane, that is, determining the storage shelf for the cargo that has arrived at the storage entrance 16, determining from which storage shelf the cargo that has been requested to be discharged from, determining the operating order of the stacker crane, etc., are performed on the ground. Top calculation 8 on the side! (not shown). Further, the host computer stores the product name of the cargo that has arrived at the inbound port, its storage shelf, and the like. In addition, the host computer accepts requests for retrieval and gives commands to the stacker crane.

In addition, the host computer calculates the frequency of shipments for which delivery requests have been made by a for each article name. Then, a command is given to the stacker crane to extract the cargo that is frequently delivered and store it on a shelf near the zero delivery location. Other details of the work performed by the host computer will become clear from the explanation below.

The frequency-based shelf allocation method will be explained using FIG. 1, FIG. 2, Table 1, and Table 2.

1!2 Table 1 shows a table that stores information on loads stored in each column. Here, the item name is the name of the item, and stores data such as a pencil, jacket, shoes, etc. Note that if there are multiple pencils and multiple sheets of paper, set a product name for each.

The shipping frequency is a record of how many times a certain product name is shipped within a certain period of time, such as one day, one week, or one month. The number of deliveries is the total number of deliveries.

That is, if three pallets are delivered at one time, it will be counted as two deliveries. The fixed period is set by the administrator.

Here, assume that a command to take out pencils is output to the stacker crane in response to a command from the host computer.

The host computer updates the delivery frequency based on the delivery completion report from the stacker crane. In this example, the delivery frequency data is stored as =13-)-1=14.

When there is a shipping request for the product name stored in the area 10A, the item is shipped from the area 10A. Since this is a first-in, first-out system (if the cargo has the same product name, the item that entered the warehouse first will be released first when a JIK request is received), the items in the area 10A will be removed from the area 10A.

If there are more shipping requests than the number N of a certain item in stock in area 10A, the item is shipped from area 10B.

Area by issue! When an empty shelf occurs in any block of the OA, the host computer instructs the stacker crane to rearrange the shelves during the idle time when there is no warehousing or unloading work. Also, the product name of the block in which the empty shelf has occurred is extracted, and the oldest item in the area 10B is transported to the empty shelf.

Next, the rearrangement of the area 10A will be explained with reference to FIG.

After obtaining the outgoing frequency data for a certain period in this way, the second item, which is the outgoing date, is calculated based on the instruction from the operation manager. Also, at this time.

Priority order y is determined in descending order of delivery frequency. In this embodiment, the top 24 are extracted (step 511).

Next, a comparison is made with the current priority order y to determine from which order the priority order differs (step Sl 3).

Next, the loads below the order of priority that are different from each other are rearranged. Area 10A that stores loads of this rank
All loads (maximum of four) in No-no block are transferred to relocation block B (consisting of four shelves) using a stacker crane. Next, in the block that became an empty shelf, territory M 10 A
, or move the load of that rank from 10B. In this way, the loads that need to be rearranged are rearranged (step 515
).

Note that the priority order of blocks within the area 10A is determined in advance. For example, the priority of a block is determined based on the arrival time of the cargo from the block to the exit port 15.

The block B for rearrangement may be one in which four shelves are provided separately.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, since the load can be stored in an optimal location depending on the frequency of output 111, there is an effect that the cycle time of the system as a whole can be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a three-dimensional shelf according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention. 10...---Three-dimensional shelf, 11...Shelf, 15...
...Department 0,161. . Figure 32

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a method of storing loads on shelves using a moving object running on a track, the frequency of loading is determined for each type of load, and the storage position of the loads is changed to the shelf closest to the loading gate in order of frequency. Automatic placement method.